Perfection
by Shadowz101
Summary: When Ron and Hermione were both petrified by the Basilisk, Harry took it upon himself to find out as much about the Chamber Of Secrets as possible. He tracked down and killed the beast, though left himself mortally wounded...the tears of the Phoenix healed him, though not before the venom had almost completely taken a hold on him...
1. Prologue: The Death Of Tom Riddle

**Hey guys and welcome to my latest works. Before I get messages saying that I have bitten off more than I can chew as my other story gets rather sporadic updates anyway, do not worry. I created this story as a diversion for when I have writers block and will flipflop between the two stories depending on what catches my inspiration at the time. I will not abandon either. This story will likely get less updates however so please don't bombard me with messages asking how often I am going to update this story...I'll tell you now it will probably be only 1ce a month at the most, and if I update any more than that it means I am well and truly stuck on my other story.**

**Now the boring shi-ite is out the way, now to an overview of what to expect from this story. This story will feel a lot different from my other HP fanfic. The themes will be darker, though not as dark as the _other_ plot bunny I have going right now but certainly a lot more dark than the other story. There will be deaths and fights will be described in gruesome detail at times. This is a Harry/OC story, for reasons that will become clear in the future lol.**

**This is a Powerful!Harry story though I won't go over the top. This will be explained in the next chapter. There will be no character bashing, just a fair reflection of the characters when they are put in the situations they are put in.**

**Lastly...enjoy and give me feedback. This is my first 1st person perspective HP fanfic.**

**Sorry about the long A/N, it just avoids pointless questions later on.**

**It's probably obvious but I should probably point out this is an AU and anything that I have done different to canon was completely intentional**

**Though if there is something I have not covered up here, feel very free to ask, as I am socially active member on this site, and will answer your message to the best of my ability.**

Where do I begin? It is hard to tell when my destiny started floating off the beaten path and turned into its own entity. There were many moments that you could say shaped me into something far different than what I was. It could have been a number of things. It could have been the moment a blonde Slytherin came to me a short while after the chamber was open and admitted that it was implausible that I could have opened it and that I should stop moping around like a kicked puppy and take control of myself. If I wasn't so shocked at the fact someone believed me I would have noticed how odd it was that a Slytherin of all people dragging my consciousness out of my own personal hell. That was only the first of many things that would change over the course of that year.

When Ron and Hermione were originally petrified I'll be honest, I was shitting bricks. Without them I felt lost and confused and the sunny disposition I had the few weeks since I met the strange slytherin girl started to fade dramatically, that was until she came by again when no-one was around and scathingly reminded me that they were not dead and to stop moping. Not very tactful I know but I'll admit it did work to an extent and I found myself getting through each day better and better. I took to learning more magic as a means to keep my mind active and you know what? I found out I wasn't quite the idiot I made myself out to be. It was amazing what I could accomplish when I wasn't using Hermione as a crutch or being dragged down by Ron's constant pleas for chess games.

I threw myself into my studies with abandon and was pretty soon damned near the top of my class in almost every subject save History and Potions, though the latter may simply have been because the professor hated me. Merlin only knows what my grade _should_ have been. I wasn't like Hermione in that I could learn spell after spell flawlessly and camp myself at a library for nights on end however, for me this was a real struggle. Some days I literally had a splitting headache with the amount of time I spent on mastering a single spell. It kept my mind off _them_ however and that was enough.

It was after a few months of constant studying that I figured out what the school was really up against. The chamber's monster was a Basilisk, an ancient terror that was nigh undefeatable. It had scales that could block almost any spell fire and teeth that could tear through steel and more dangerously, all it took was a gaze into its eyes and you were dead. So what do you think I did? I went after it of course. Now contrary to popular belief I do not hold a death wish. I would rather avoid trouble if possible but for some reason the gods have not been kind to me and trouble seems to gravitate towards me. The truth of the matter was that it was lucky that the Basilisk hadn't killed yet and something needed to be done. There were teachers all over the school that had more magical experience than me, more spells and more knowledge, but I knew I had something that they just didn't have and probably never would…

Sheer dumb luck.

Never had I taken Professor McGonagle's words to heart so much.

That was another major change in events that in hindsight helped shape me as a person; the willingness to go off on my own and simply act, without fear of consequence and just do the right thing. I knew well in advance that I could very well die doing what I was doing but I still carried on regardless and tried to solve the mystery that was the Chamber of Secrets. Looking back on things, the mystery itself was quite easy to solve once I looked in the right places. My foray into the forbidden forest, while dangerous and reckless, did yield substantial results. I found out that Hagrid was innocent (something that in my heart I probably knew anyway) of opening the Chamber, despite Tom Riddle's diary saying otherwise, and that Aragog the acromantula wasn't the monster from the chamber, though by that point I already knew that. Then all hell broke loose and I was saved by a magically enchanted car…yeah I know it sounds crazy. It was a crazy night.

So while I didn't find out anything I didn't already know, I did come to a profound conclusion. That diary was just bad news. I didn't know what reason it had for misleading me but I didn't really care. When I got back I planned to destroy it. It just felt wrong…like something was tainting it. Looking back I realise how close I was to the truth.

When I finally got back to my dorm room that night I found that someone else seemed to have a different idea and my doom was ransacked and in a state of disarray, books and parchment strewn everywhere. After cleaning up I realised that the diary was gone and I was back to square one. Over the next few days I kept a lookout but I didn't see anyone with it so I just gave up. I knew I was running out of time; someone could be killed any day. I had to act, to do something. The teachers were threatening to close the school and it I don't care what anyone said, the prospect of spending any more time than absolutely necessary at my aunt and uncles was enough to strengthen anyone's resolve.

It was a month before the end of term that I finally realised where I should be looking. It was so obvious that I literally slapped myself for not thinking it earlier. It was simple. The last person to be killed by the snake had died in the girl's bathroom on the second floor… and guess who haunted the girl's bathroom on the second floor? Exactly my point.

So here I am walking up to the bathroom on the second floor, knowing full well that I was right and this was the point of no return. It was around midday on a Tuesday and I had a few hours before my next class so I thought why not. If I succeeded I doubt the professors would care I skipped class and if I didn't I'd be dead so it wouldn't matter anyway. Some twisted logic but if I were being logical at this point I wouldn't have been doing any of the things I had been doing the last few weeks so it was a rather weak argument.

It was with a major sense of trepidation I walked through the entrance to the girl's toilet. It was eerily quiet which didn't help, the sound of my footsteps echoing loudly in the stone room.

"Myrtle? You there?" I called, trying to get her attention.

"Myrtle I need to talk to you" I call out again though trying to calm down the frantic tone that was creeping into my voice. I didn't know how much time I had but I knew I didn't have a lot. People were getting petrified left right and centre and it was only going to get worse. It felt like a long time before I felt the familiar drop in temperature that indicated her ghost was near. I don't think many people noticed this but to be honest I doubt that many people spend that much time among ghosts.

"Me? Why would you want to talk to me? Nobody _ever_ wants to talk to me" she said in her usual sad tone, her translucent form passing through the left wall. I wish she'd just lighten up sometimes.

"Oh I'm not sure I believe that" I said with a smile. "I was just coming down here to ask how you died…I'm sure you've answered that question a lot of times" I rushed out though I knew they hadn't. Her ghostly existence was somewhat of a mystery to most students. Most of the school's ghosts were. No-one really questioned how they came to be - they just accepted them. I myself didn't know how half of the school's ghosts died and the only one I knew by name was Sir Nicolas.

"Oh!" she said, her face visibly brightening…so to speak. "Oh it was horrible. It happened right here in this very cubicle you know." She said, gesturing to the second toilet cubicle from the left.

"I ran in here crying because Olive Horny, a girl in my year was teasing my about my glasses. Even back in those days no-one really came here as there were other bathrooms in the castle you see. I must have been in here for about 20 minutes? Anyway I heard this strange hissing noise coming from the sink near the far wall. I thought it was just more classmates coming back to make fun of me so I opened the cubicle door to tell them to _go away _and…I died." She said, trailing off.

"Just like that?" I asked

"The last thing I saw was this set of great big yellow eyes, over there by that sink" she pointed to the sink she mentioned earlier on the far wall. It looked rather run down, covered in dirt and grime from not being used. It looked like Filch hadn't been in here for years and he probably hadn't. The ghost of Mytle was enough to keep almost anyone away, even if she was just an oversensitive teenager in essence.

"I...I understand how difficult it must have been for you to tell me this but thank you."

"Oh it's no trouble Harry. It's been a long time since I have told that story."

"So…it's no problem then?"

"None…thank you for asking."

"My pleasure. You should probably get a teacher in about fifteen minutes. What I'm about to do is 30% brave 70% mad."

"What are you doing?" she asked inquisitively.

"Going after what killed you…so yeah mad" I said with a nervous laugh. It was either laughing or crying at this point and I'd take laughter all day long

"Oh" she breathed, a little shocked by my proclamation.

"Well good luck…if you die you can always share my cubicle". I couldn't help myself at this point, I had to laugh at the ridiculousness of that notion.

"I'll keep that in mind." I said while walking slowly towards the sink. This must be the entrance somehow. I absentmindedly twisted the knob on one of the taps, though no water escaped them. It was like the entire bathroom unit was one big decoration. I could have too easily blasted away with my wand at the sink until the entrance revealed itself but I was pretty sure that would arouse some attention as the noise would echo around the castle walls like a clap of thunder. That was one of the things about living in a castle; sound really does travel.

I stared at the decaying porcelain for a few minutes, trying to think of how to enter the chamber without raising alarm. Walking around the circular unit I searched for any hidden buttons or symbols that could act as a switch and open a path or door, though it was a rather half-hearted search as I knew it probably wasn't this simple. If that was the case then anyone in the last thousand years could have discovered the chamber before now by compete chance just by touching a symbol. They wouldn't even know what it meant. The only symbol I could find was an ornate S inscribed on each on one of the taps and all that did was show me I was in the right place, it didn't grant me access. In fact all the mark of Slytherin did for me at that moment was make me angry. It was like the little symbol was mocking me, showing me that I had the answer within my grasp but couldn't quite get there. I was within touching distance of the answer, I knew I was.

Then it hit me. It was silly and ridiculous and it hit me so hard that I almost slapped myself for not thinking about it earlier. The clues were all there. It was the sure fire way of making sure that no-one not of Slytherin decent could enter the esteemed chamber. It was the ultimate security measure and one that could only be beaten by the few and even then they would have to know where to look.

Parseltongue.

It was that simple. The monster was a snake so why wouldn't the entrance itself need the same language. No-one could break this protection. No-one but Riddle and myself. I still hadn't figured out how I could speak it but it didn't matter. It was how I used this incredible tool that mattered. I stared at the small green S shape, inscribed onto the tap in front of me. Conjuring up the image of a snake in my mind, I spoke to the small logo with as much of a commanding voice as I could

"_Open"_

Now that I was more aware that I was speaking in a different tongue, I could actually hear the way my voice hissed, slightly layered with magic. From the moment the first syllable escaped my lips, I loud grinding noise filled the room, almost making me jump. The stone slabs that were originally a part of the sink design opened out and descended into the floor. The stone tiles of the floor almost seemed to rearrange themselves, moving out the way of the object that once stood there as one, now disassembling itself into different parts. I could hear what sounded like gears turn as each segment folded into the floor slowly, sounding unnaturally loud in the enclosed room, even though I knew it was only my head playing tricks on me. When the fake plumbing had moved out the way completely, all that remained was a small hole in the floor a few metres wide.

Tentatively, I took a few steps closer to the edge and looked down, casting a Lumos as I peered over the edge. It was certainly deep, that much was certain, and there was a bend in the pipeline that made it impossible to see how far the drop went. It was almost pitch black and only the light from my own wand allowed me to see as far down as I did.

Alright I thought…look like I'm going to have to jump here.

"Goodbye Myrtle. If I live through this remind me to thank you."

"Hehe goodbye Harry…and remember my toilet is always open to you if you don't," she said, giggling childishly before diving into one of the toilets, splashing water everywhere.

This was it now. Taking a deep breath, I took a short run up and jumped. If I waited I knew I would just bottle it.

It was just like taking a very deep slide. It could have even been considered fun if the circumstances had been different. After a short journey I was practically thrown out onto a bed of…something. I didn't know what it was at first. My eyes were closed in fear during the ride and now as I opened them I couldn't quite get my bearings. I was lying face first on some brittle material. It was hard yet at the same time it broke when I put any real pressure on it. Stumbling back onto by feat I jerked back in revulsion at the sight of what I had just landed on.

Bones. It was horrifying. There weren't just a few skeletons here. In this small room there must have been hundreds upon hundreds of shattered bones and remains lying around like discarded rubbish. Taking a closer look I noticed there were no human remains but the threat still hanged in the air. I was well and truly in hostile territory. If I was found here I would not expect help, nor would I expect mercy. The creature that lived here wouldn't hold back at all.

Now that my eyes were adjusting to the dark I noticed that there were dozens of large pillars coming down from the ceiling and that this was more of a cave than a room. I guess it made sense, since I was right under the foundations of the school. The air felt damp and cold, uninviting and ominous. It was like I was being warned away by the castle herself. There was a very thin mist in the air, making it harder and harder to see the farther ahead I looked. I didn't know exactly where I was going but considering the cave only went one way, I could take a pretty good guess. On my left I could see a large pool of water that stretched back into a wall, though the mist concealed its actual size. This must be part of the lake I thought…if the situation wasn't so dire, I might have been fascinated by the age old architecture and natural landmarks but as it was I turned away and kept plodding ahead.

The rocks eventually began to gradually thin out and the path became easier. The silence that hung in the air was deafening, making the slightest step echo loudly in the surrounding cavern. Water dripping from the ceiling could be heard up to 200 metres away, and darkness seemed to move like living shadows.

After a few minutes I came to find a narrow corridor, with a large door situated at the end. This was it. If I couldn't back out before I definitely couldn't now. I could very well die here and no-one would find me. I slowly walked towards the large metal door with trepidation; I could have only minutes to live. The door itself was obviously made of thick metal, and had many statues of snakes pointed at different angles in a circle formation. It was a strange design and I took a couple of seconds to steady myself before I spoke the words.

_"Open"_ I commanded. A mechanical snake slipped out of one of the grates, circling the outside of the metal door, each of the snake's heads in the way receding as it made its journey, moving back with a loud clank. The strange formation of snakes on the door made sense now, as they were simply locks that pulled back as the magical serpent weaved in and out of the openings created when they drew themselves back into the centre of the door.

Before long the last lock disengaged and the door swung back with a large creek of protest.

This was it. I was here. The Chamber of Secrets.

I knew immediately that I was in the right place. There were many giveaways that said this was the fabled chamber. One such giveaway was the long line of bronze statues of snakes that lined the sides of the chamber as you walked in. Each of their faces were drawn back in a striking pose, their fangs drawn as if ready to strike. Another such giveaway could also be attributed to the rather creepy face that was etched on the back wall in front of him. It depicted a large bearded man with long hair billowing out. His eyes shone malevolence and his expression looked angry and dangerous. I didn't recognise who he was by sight but the fact that this was Slytherin's chamber made it quite obvious who he was looking at. This was the face of Salazar Slytherin.

Even though it was just a statue, the fear in my gut could barely be ignored. I was standing on hostile ground and I knew it. The room was lit in a green glow, giving it a rather ghostly look. Green flames sprung out of lamps and candles that lined the wall from where he was standing to the end, where the monstrous statue stared at him with crazed eyes.

The biggest giveaway however was the young girl that stood at the end, back facing me. This confused me slightly. I didn't think that anyone other than me could get here and if this was the real heir of Slytherin then I was already having second thoughts. I didn't come here to kill a child. Especially when it hit me who this child was. Even from this distance it was hard to mistake the red hair for anyone other than a Weasley, and I knew that there was only one child in that family that was a girl, the first year Ginny who had started this year, and she was definitely _not_ the heir of Slytherin.

That much I knew for certain, which made my task that much harder.

"Ginny, what the hell are you doing down here?" I called out to her, my voice unnaturally loud in the stone halls of the chamber. Her neck snapped round in an instant, shock written on her face before she smiled sinisterly. This was unnerving…something was wrong…more wrong than I thought possible.

"Ah Harry Potter…just the one I was hoping to see" she said, though when I say she, her voice was layered and scratchy like it wasn't really her talking.

"How did you even get down here? Only a Parselmouth can get in here and you're not a Parselmouth to my knowledge" I asked while walking towards her. It took all my concentration to move, as the room itself seemed to exude fear.

"You're right she isn't, but I am…I must say, she's been such a fantastic host so far, if you disregard the whining sob stories. It's pathetic really" her voice spat. So obviously this wasn't her…something was using her body. I was now only a hundred or so feet away and I could see her eyes…oh god those eyes.

They were blood red, evil and cold, like they didn't care if the entire roof fell down. This expression made my stomach turn. Every rational part of my body was screaming at me to run but I didn't. I couldn't…I just couldn't.

"Who am I talking to then? It's obvious that you've possessed her somehow."

"I'll answer that in due course. I just wanted to talk to you…well kill you actually but no sense in not being civilised before we get to the dirty part is there? It's what separates us from the animals" the being said in a candid tone, flippantly brushing away the idea of murder as if we were just talking about the weather. I didn't know what was worse, the fact that whatever this was, was going to kill me, or the calm way in which it was talking about it. I involuntarily made for my wand but didn't make it half the way to it before I felt myself being pushed through the air by an invisible force. I felt myself hang in the air for a few moments before crashing back to the ground in a heap, pain shooting through my side as I landed on the hard stone.

"We'll be having none of that. " I heard her voice say as I blinked my eyes open and shakily stood up.

"You cannot win so don't try." She said in a sickly sweet voice, the self-satisfied smirk painted on her face.

"Now answer my questions. Why is it that a boy of only one year old managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time while suffering nothing a scar? I see nothing special here. You! A mere child destroying the most powerful wizard on the world."

"Dumbledore is the greatest wizard in the world"

"Dumbledore has been driven out this castle by the mere memory of me"

"What do you mean? Memory?"

"Use your head Potter. Despite your brash decision to come here tonight you're not stupid, just incredibly foolish."

Memory. That's what he said…a memory. I quickly thought back to my experiences from the year trying to piece this little mystery together in my head. That was one thing I could attribute to the lack of friends to lean on; my analytical skills. In fact the only time I didn't look before I leaped was today and that was because I knew if I did, I would never have come here.

A wise decision.

I thought back - a memory…a memory. Then it hit me. The diary's words when I first wrote into its pages. "A Memory…trapped in a diary for 50 years".He had already given me the answer months ago.

"Riddle" I said, spitting out the word as if it were a disease, an infection.

"Very good. You see for all his supposed greatness, Dumbledore never could prove it was me who opened the chamber so many years ago. The fool! He certainly kept an annoyingly close eye on me after that and you didn't answer my question Potter! How did you beat the Dark Lord?"

"Why on earth would you care? He was after your time."

"Lord Voldemort _is_ my past, present and future." With that the possessed girl turned around on the spot and waved her wand in the air, drawing letters that glowed orange in the dark chamber. With a sense of foreboding I watched in fascination as Tom drew the letters in the air to spell out his name.

Tom…Marvolo…Riddle.

He gave his wand a sharp swish and they rearranged themselves. I could feel my stomach clench as they spelled out the words I had least wanted to see but in my heart almost expected.

I Am Lord Voldemort.

That statement rang in the air like an alarm bell. I knew I should try and get out of there but I was rooted to the spot. This was Lord Voldemort, the man that had murdered my parents and destroyed the families of thousands. I was paralysed in fear at that moment, staring dumbly at the little pocket of air where those letters hung like my own personal epitaph.

I couldn't escape even if I was able to move. This was the most powerful wizard in the world bar Dumbledore and he was in no position to help me at this moment. I was alone with the most dangerous person in the world and hopelessly outclassed.

"So you see why I might care hmm? Now answer me!"

"I don't know! Nobody knows and even if I did why would I tell you? You're going to kill me anyway."

"Yes…I guess you're right. A pity…I had hoped for some enlightenment but it's no matter. You will die either way."

"Get on with it then" I said, trying to sound as brave as I could. It was terrifying to think that I would be dead in a few minutes but I didn't want to die cowering with fear. I had my pride, and pride dictates that I go down with dignity.

"Oh we'll get to that. You see, I'm not sure if you have noticed but I am currently borrowing this body. It really is disgusting having to borrow this blood traitor's female form but she's been a good enough host I suppose. The diary-" he gestured to a book that was funnily enough lying on the floor only a few feet away. I hadn't noticed it before which was strange but then again I hadn't been looking for it, since my attention was focussed elsewhere.

"that I made before my fall was imbued with my memory, and every time she wrote into the diary, I became a little more alive. She was easy to manipulate, always going on and on about how all her brothers ignore her and that _you_ never noticed her at all. So she poured her heart into the diary and after a time I was strong enough to take control for brief periods. I forced her to open the chamber and release the Basilisk. I tried to make her kill all the mudbloods I could find in the school but she fought valiantly, and until recently I haven't been able to properly assert myself. She broke in the end though…they always break. Even now she's still fighting me but it's futile. In weeks she will get weaker and weaker, eventually bringing me back into my original body." He explained with a gleam in his eye…or her eye depending on the way you looked at it.

"So whatever happens here, you both die and there is nothing you can do to stop it" he said simply.

"You disgust me…you're nothing more than a murderer." I spat out glaring at his form. Despite the fear, the hatred of this man welled up inside of me and I could feel myself shaking with rage. "Whatever happens tonight, I'm taking you with me."

"You are such a fool. You can't kill me you imbecile. Your precious best friend's sister will die and we both know you don't have the stomach to kill us both." He smiled sadistically and I replied with a glare. He was right but I wasn't about to let him know that. Internally I was trying to think of a way to get around this. If worst comes to the worst I knew I had to kill her…and it sickened me. I doubt Ron would forgive me when he woke up. He would be devastated and I would lose the best friend I had had since I was born. Hermione would be more understanding but the rift in our friendship would tear us apart…things would never be the same.

"Dumbledore will stop you though. When he comes back, he'll realise what happened and come looking for you." To this Riddle just laughed.

"Didn't you hear me tell you? Dumbledore has been driven away. It's just us."

"Dumbledore will never be gone. Not as long as there are those loyal to him. All you have done is delay the inevitable."

"We-" he was cut off when a loud shrill echoed throughout the chamber. Looking up a large bird came swooping in from the ceiling, looking to be carrying a large hat. The orange bird came closer and I instantly recognised it.

Fawkes.

Her orange feathers almost glowed against the dark stone walls and flew through the chamber gracefully and full of life, her shrill giving me hope where before there was none. After all, if she was here then there must be a reason…she was a Phoenix and they hardly ever showed themselves without due cause. They were also creatures of Light, meaning that she certainly wasn't here for Riddle's benefit.

After a few circles around the chamber, she pitched in a shallow dive and landed gracefully in front of me, dropping a tattered looking hat at my feet. I recognised that too…the sorting hat. A rather odd thing to be giving me since I was about to be killed but I never claimed to know why she came…I just knew that there must have been a reason.

"So this is what Dumbledore sends his great destroyer? A songbird, and an old hat! I grow tired of talking. It's time to end this!" he sneered and turned around sharply and held his arm out in front of him.

_ "Speak to me Salazar Slytherin! greatest of the Hogwarts four" _he hissed and I instantly recognised it as Parseltongue. Something was about to happen, something big. I could feel it in my bones. I noticed the mouth of the statue started to open like a door.

"Let's see how Lord Voldemort, heir of Salazar Slytherin, fares against the famous Harry Potter!" He said in a sarcastic tone as he turned to face me. He didn't even raise his wand at me. Whatever he'd done he was sure would be enough.

"_Masster"_ I heard a voice say, old and dark. I knew that voice. It was the voice I heard from the walls before an attack. It was the voice of the Basilisk.

Instantly I closed my eyes and turned to run.

"_Kill him!"_I heard him command behind me. I ran as fast as I could, terrified out of my wits. This was a Basilisk, the most dangerous creature in the world today. I heard a large thump that I presumed was the body of the magical snake hitting the floor as it slithered out of its dwelling and into the chamber itself. I didn't dare look back. I knew all too well what looking into the beasts eyes would to. It would be game over.

"_Don't kill me! I'm not even a muggleborn!_" I knew it was a weak protest but I had to do something and I didn't have any ideas to hand.

"_You are not my masster!" _the giant serpent hissed behind me. I dare not look back in fear of what would happen if I did. I could hear my feet hit the stone loudly as I moved, blood pounding in my ears. Cold hearted fear gripped me now. I didn't know what else I could do but run. I couldn't even turn back and confront the thing I was facing, and the word _facing_ was somewhat stretching the truth of the situation. I could not face this monster. How could I kill what I could not see?

"_Damn you!" _ I hissed out, slipping into parseltongue as my anger lashed out at the large serpent. I could feel it gaining on me with every step I took, the stone statues lining the hallway glaring at me in anger. The exit was still over a hundred foot away but I didn't know what else to do. It shamed me to admit that at this point, Ginny's safety was the farthest thing from my mind. It was hard to think of her as Ginny anymore anyway, the manevolent spirit of Riddle possessing her, tainting her with a darkness so evil it made me sick to my core.

I could now actually hear the large snakes muscles slither across the floor. It was so close, flecks of water dripping from its tough hide. Still I ran but I knew in my heart that in seconds it would be all over.

That was when something amazing happened. Out of nowhere I heard a call; a high screech that reverberated through the chamber, bouncing off its walls with abandon. For some reason the call made my heart warm, and the fear abated, albeit only for a few seconds. At first I didn't know where it was coming from. I was tempted to stop and look but then I remembered the beast lumbering behind me. I could not indulge myself with curiosity at this moment.

As if to answer my mental chiding, it was then I saw it. I mentally slapped myself for not recognising the trill, for flying down from the air, a flame red phoenix swooped down, it's wings outstretched as it glided gracefully from the ceiling. How it got it in I didn't know, but I was glad it did. Its presence lifted my heart, giving me hope when before there was none. I had no idea where this feeling was coming from but it didn't matter. Seconds later the bird swooped over my head straight towards the beast behind me, unaffected by its death glare. Now it was the basilisk's cry I heard, low and thunderous screams of pain as the phoenix attacked with ferocity. It hissed in defiance and it snapped back; I could hear the click of its jaws as it clamped down on empty air as the magical bird backed away and flew off again, sending loud trills into the air, though not before dropping something down on the floor.

"No! Damn you infernal bird. No matter, your bird may have blinded the basilisk, but it can still hear you. You have barely bought yourself minutes. How does it feel to be on the brink of death Potter? Does it frighten you?" Riddles voice taunted from behind me, his voice ever more mocking by the fact it came from an 11 year old's mouth. A thought registered in my mind just then. I could turn back safely now. In his arrogance, Riddle had given me an insight as to what the phoenix had achieved in its short attack. It was blind…_blind_. I can now turn around and face this monstrosity, for all the good that would do me. At least now I could actually face my attacker though, rather than just blindly running away.

Turning to face the snake for the first time I gasped at what I saw. The beast was huge; perhaps 40 or 50 feet long. Its hide was a dark green, almost black, riddled with shining scales that dripped water from the plumbing from whence it came. Where its eyes once were, all that could be made out was a bloody mess of flesh, the remains of his eyes dangling out in a grotesque way.

Perhaps the scariest part of the monster though, was its teeth; long fangs over a foot long, tinted yellow and sharp as daggers. I had no intention of letting that get near me. Looking into the snarling face of the monster, which could now not see me, I did the only thing I could think of.

I ran again.

What a stupid idea that was.

The moment my feet hit upon the floor, the snakes face snapped back towards me, sharp as whip. _It seemed its hearing was just as good as its eyesight_ I mused.

Not wasting any time, I ducked right into one of the tunnels, the old plumbing of the school providing the only cover in a large chamber that seemed to be devoid of anything.

"Go on, run. The more time you waste thinking you have a chance of survival, the less time dear sweet Ginny has. Whatever happens, your death is certain" came the laughing voice of Riddle, far away at the back of the chamber. I could barely hear his taunts, though I knew the message.

I didn't have much time. I could probably run for quite a long time. The tunnels led all around the castle and I was sure that at some point I could find a way out and live to fight another day but what would be the point? I would have to face Ron's distraught face when he woke up only to tell him that I couldn't save her. He would hate me for it. My first and best friend would hate me and it would all be my fault because I was a coward. It was my fault she was targeted anyway. Lucius could have slipped the diary into anyone's possession but why her?...why her…?

I knew the snake was still behind me as I darted in and out of crisscrossed pipes but I also knew that with all the sharp turns I was taking and the changes in direction, it couldn't possibly hope to catch my so long as I kept the pace high and didn't stop. The pipes were only big enough for the snake to go one way…so unlike me, it couldn't go back on itself as easily as I could if I wanted to change direction.

But I knew I couldn't play cat and mouse forever. The Basilisk was getting angry and was starting to move more quickly, making it increasingly hard for me to stay ahead. I had more than once hit a few dead ends and had close calls and it was only a matter of time before I ran myself into trouble. It didn't help that the pipes were not lit, and in some areas I was running blind, a dim light that barely lifted the shadows from the walls, sometimes only serving to make them shift in and out of focus, allowing fear to get a chokehold on me once more.

Sweat was starting to drip down from my brow, the constant running tiring out my aching limbs. I had to make a decision. Either continue running and waste more time, or find a way of surviving. This wasn't really a choice if you really thought about it but I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to survive. The situation appeared hopeless. Run and die or fight and die. For a few seconds I just stood there panting, trying to gain a little breath back from constant movement. I knew I couldn't stay long for the Basilisk was in pursuit but more importantly it gave me a few seconds to think, and gain my bearings. It didn't take me long to realise I was tired of running. It wouldn't make any difference and the only thing to come out of it would be my eventual death, and Ginny's. To be honest I wasn't even sure if she could be saved but damned if I wasn't going to try. I'd do what I always did and make my plans up as I go. It's what I did with the Stone last year and that worked out well…for the most part.

Taking a deep breath I moved into the main chamber, my feet echoing as loud as ever in the large room. The piping was rather easy to navigate so it didn't take me long. It was just as I'd left it; dark and foreboding, Ginny's Voldemort possessed body standing proudly in front of Salazar's large statue. He didn't have a care in the world. In his mind he had already won.

I couldn't help but agree with him.

"Still alive I see. Pity" Riddle sneered as I walked closer. "There is no chance of survival you do know that don't you? You're powerless against me, completely powerless. Running only gets you so far Potter.

It was time to end this game of cat and mouse.

_Come my beast! He is here! Kill him where he stands."_ He snarled, finishing with a hissed command in Parseltongue. In the echoing cavern the words messed together, making it sound like the walls themselves were whispering.

"Goodbye Potter." He said with a smug smile. I was just about to reply when the Basilisk blasted through the floor, covered in water, roaring loudly as it rose. The injuries caused by the Phoenix made the serpent thrash wildly as it moved, the slightest movement causing it pain. It reared its head back, showing foot long fangs dripping with venom and stained ivory. The pain was making the beast angry, and even without eyes to stare into, you could clearly see the rage on the snakes features. It made me shiver.

In seconds I could be dead.

Then I spotted something out of the corner of my eye. Sitting on the floor sat a tattered hat, dropped into the chamber by the phoenix. It wasn't the hat that interested me, since that on its own was useless. More than useless actually, it felt like fate was mocking me. There was something else grabbing my attention. Out of nowhere, a metallic glint appeared within its folds, a silvery hilt poking out of the open bottom.

A sword…finally something I could use.

Wasting no time I dived to where the sword lay and took it out the hat, not once questioning how it fit there in the first place. It was magic after all. I held it in front of me, firm and defiant as the snake reared its head back to snap its jaw down on me, its hate filled hisses reaching a crescendo. It dived down, almost imperceptibly fast, leaving me with only a split second to dive out the way. I could hear a smashing sound as pieces of marble flew into the air where the Basilisks jaw had smashed into the ground. I tried to sneak a glance back but it pounced again, forcing me to dive yet again, this time only missing by millimetres, flecks of water from its scales flicking onto my skin. I wasted no time this time and backed away out of range from its jaws. It looked at me for a few seconds, the muscled body slowly slithering its way towards me. I held the sword up defiantly, determined not to give in.

It struck again, but this time I was ready, sidestepping the strike before I thrust forward with the sword. I missed it by a few feet as it had already backed away but it attacked again, this time using its tail like a whip. I was not expecting it, and it struck me across my chest, lifting me into the air and depositing me 30 feet away, completely winded. Somehow I had managed to keep my hand on the weapon, though god only knows how.

I got back up groggily; subtly brushing off dirt as I did and faced my attacker once more, which had already slithered forward and was poised to attack. It snapped at me again, causing me to stumble slightly though I just about kept myself upright. The beast was so fast for its size it was scary. All of a sudden, this sword was starting to feel more and more like a toothpick. It struck again and yet again I tried to sidestep, crashing my sword arm down on its snout. It didn't even break the skin.

The first hit I had made after nearly ten minutes, and it didn't even cause a scratch, not a scale was dislodged from its tough hide. The sword bounced off with a clang and the basilisk reared back again before pouncing forward. This time I couldn't get out the way. Before I even had time to reach I was pushed to the floor, the snake's nose hitting me so hard I was sure I cracked a rib, I was lucky its mouth was closed, for if it wasn't, I would have been cut in half. If the beast could see properly, I probably would be. The sword flew out of my hand and I had to scramble back to pick it up again.

"_End this_" Riddle's voice hissed from the background, his sharp and menacing tone cutting through the air like knives. I had almost forgotten he was there, looking on with an impassive face, almost bored in his demeanour. The basilisk glanced briefly to his master and nodded his head in affirmation as it reared back again, opening its monstrous jaws, fangs protruding with menace. Time seemed to slow, my heart pumping steadily in my veins, so fast and aggressive I could feel it reverberating through my skull.

The basilisk dived at me again, and I drew back my arm. I was beginning to get frustrated and just wanted to hit the damned thing. As it snapped its jaw down on me, I drove the sword forward, summoning all my strength with a wild cry of anger.

It was by far the stupidest thing I had ever done.

As the basilisks mouth opened down to snap at me, my arm drove straight into it, the blade going straight through the roof of its mouth, the once shining silver metal now covered in crimson blood. The snake seemed almost as shocked as I was, for a split second not moving at all. I could feel the searing pain of a fang embedded into my arm, cutting deep and burning like fire. I could barely hold onto my sword, and with one final twist of the blade, I dropped to the floor, no energy left.

"No! This isn't possible-" I could hear Riddle shout but past that I heard no intelligible words, for the pain in my arm was reaching unbearable levels. I could feel what I could only guess was venom, seeping into my veins. When I took a glance to inspect the wound, I noticed the basilisk fang was still imbedded in my skin, dripping blood onto the floor. I could feel my body continue to weaken, and struggled to stand again, swaying slightly as I moved and edged myself towards where Riddle stood. The basilisk was still thrashing behind me, albeit weakly, dying a slow death from the wound I had inflicted. I was in no danger from that now. I was probably already dead I realised with a start. Basilisk venom was a death sentence as far as I knew. There was no cure.

With every step I took I could feel the strength ebbing away from me, bit by bit. By the time I reached where Riddle stood, I had stumbled onto my knees and was barely able to move. As angry as Riddle was, I could see a sinister smile cross his features.

"You're already dead. It's over Potter. Soon I will have absorbed dear Ginny's essence and my rebirth will be complete. Killing the basilisk means nothing. You have achieved _nothing_" he spat. I was now on my hands, not having the strength to look upon his face. I felt something in my hands as they scraped the floor.

_A book…what the…Oh right the diary I thought._

The Diary…The Diary!

Suddenly a thought came to me. This was what was controlling Ginny. All of Voldemort's strength at this point came from this book so if the book was destroyed…

I grabbed onto the fang that was protruding into my shoulder and wrenched it free with an almighty roar, the pain sending a scream through my mouth that was barely human. I didn't think about it, neither did I try to slowly edge it out. I did it clean as I could, knowing it would hurt like hell. I could hear the blood spray on the floor and feel the warm liquid running through my fingers as I handled the tooth. I then opened the diary.

"What are you doing?" I heard Riddles voice demand, as I saw his shadow move towards me. I could almost feel him breathing down my neck. I opened the book, not caring which page it came upon, for they were all blank and I knew this. I glanced at the figure walking slowly towards me, though I couldn't see him very well, as my vision had now become blurry, and dizziness started to overcome me. Realising I had very little time, I took as deep a breath as I could and slammed the Basilisk tooth as hard as I could into the diary.

"Nooo-aaaah!" It screamed, as the sharp tooth tore through the pages. Black ink spilled over my hand, drenching it. As I looked up, I could see the outline of Riddle on his knees screaming, blood dripping from his eyes. I drew my arm back and stabbed into the book again, barely able to see what I was hitting. By now, the black ink was spraying from the dairy like a fountain of blood. My hand was completely covered in the stuff, and the book was still bleeding as I wrenched it free again.

I could not see Riddle clearly but from what I could gather, flecks of blood were dripping from Ginny's body as black smoke escaped from her mouth. An ear splitting scream filled the chamber, so harsh and biting that it was scary to behold. The smoke broke away as soon as it touched the air, never forming a defining shape, evaporating as soon as it left her.

_Voldemort_ I thought.

I could literally feel the pain in those screams, as the thing that was possessing Ginny was expelled from her, slowly dying. It was obvious it was fighting but it was no use, as the book that once held the memory was now destroyed. I did not know how it worked, neither did I care. All I cared about was the fact that I'd won…he was beaten.

As the last of the smoke left her mouth, she slumped to the floor on here hands, breathing heavily. She shook her head briefly before she started to cry.

I now had so little energy I completely collapsed on the floor, unable hold my own weight for any longer. Using the last of my strength I rolled over to my side so I could face Ginny. I wanted, no _needed _to make sure she was ok.

"Ginny" my voice came out in barely a whisper.

She looked at me, or at least that's what I thought she was doing. I couldn't really see her.

"Harry!" she shouted, before rushing towards me. "I'm sorry…I tried to fight him…I just couldn't…he was too strong" she rattled on frantically before trailing off.

"Harry, you're hurt!" she said in a panicked voice.

"Do not worry about me…please just get out of here. At the start of the chamber there is a door…it should still be open but if not say _open_" I said, slipping consciously into parseltongue at the end. I was nearly speaking in whispers; such was the weakness that I felt.

"But what about you?" she nearly shouted. "I can't leave you here…you'll die" she said with a whimper. By now my eyes were nearly closed.

"I'm already dead." I breathed. I faintly registered the sound of the phoenix that assisted earlier resounding in the chamber, its mournful cries like a symphonic theme to my death. It felt almost poetic. I barely felt it land when its feet touched the floor, barely registering it's presence. I was seconds from death. I barely felt the tears drop as it leant over my body, neither did I feel it use its incredible strength to turn me over and cry on my back. I registered none of this.

And as I closed my eyes, the last thought I had was the hope that Ginny would be ok, mixed with the satisfaction, that at least my death had saved a life.

That at least, counted for something.

**I do not own Harry Potter, though I may borrow him from time to time ;)**

**I have no Beta, so any comments on my spelling I will ignore lol. I can't catch everything after all.**

**Read and review...**


	2. Memories

**Hey everyone. This time I decided to make sure the chapter was properly editing before posting. What you have before you is the finished article and shouldn't have the glaring mistakes the last chapter did. The last chapter has also been re-edited so if you want to go back and read it, everything has been fixed up so it should be less taxing**

**On a different note, the next story to be updated will be Mystery Of The Veil, I just wanted to get this out before I went back to it. I don't know when I'll be coming back to this. I hope it won't be too long but you never know. I have to re-write the next chapter of "Veil" and finish the one after...Once I've posted two chapters, I'll take another look at this one. Unlike my PJO stories, just because I have stopped posting for a while, does not mean I have given up on these stories. I WILL keep posting on them...you have my word as a writer.**

**Hope you enjoy this. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter.**

Chapter 2

I don't know how close I was to death until fate brought me away. It could have been seconds or minutes…I could have actually been dead and then revived again minutes later. All I knew is living hurt…a lot.

I could feel a new agent flooding into my system, fighting against the poison that was seconds away from killing me. I could feel it trying to neutralize the poison, and heal me from within. It acted fast as lightening, and I could barely register its presence before the throbbing in my arm abated, indicating that the wound that once resided there was now healed. Before I could think on it however, I felt it travel through the rest of my body, my heart pumping it around my system furiously. Whereas seconds ago it was weak and pitiful, now it was furiously pumping blood, the injuries committed by the basilisk already healed.

My breath was still shallow, for the poison had already reached my brain. While the majority of my body was now healing, all I could feel now was what I could only describe as an unbearable headache. My hands grappled my face, screaming to an empty room for people that would never come. It was unbearable…my head felt like it was going to split in half. I could feel thin tendrils of blood seep between my fingers as I covered my face. I wanted to open my eyes but I was in too much pain. Blood kept flowing in between my fingers, leaking from my scar. I could hear screaming that wasn't mine, a high pitched screech of pain coming from my head.

It was terrifying. I could feel it fighting for control…control I didn't even know it could have. I felt a compulsion to move my hands that I fought against through sheer principle…it felt familiar...evil. It was at that moment I realised what it was, which only made me more scared. How could this happen…how? I just destroyed the memory so it couldn't be that. It was Voldemort…a weakened version that couldn't think for itself but it was still on some level, Voldemort. How many times am I going to have to face this guy? Twice in two years was enough but this? I couldn't even describe what _this_ was.

I could feel the poison slowly tear apart whatever it was that was screaming inside my skull. It tried to break free, in doing so breaking open the scar even further. The pain barely recognised though, and as the presence fought in futility against the poison I could feel it thrashing out, like a crazed child jumping around inside my skull, hammering at the sides trying to free itself. Little by little it was stripped apart, its screams of pain drowning out my own. It was getting weaker, almost like it knew defeat was inevitable but was refusing to give up.

I was able to gradually think more clearly as Voldemort's essence was systematically destroyed by the basilisk venom…at least that's what I guessed destroyed it. Now my skull was no longer pounding I opened my eyes. I noticed that neither Ginny nor the phoenix was still in the chamber. This was good…it meant that they made it out. I didn't know what I would feel if they were still here. I didn't want anyone to see me like this…I felt so weak. I tried to move my head from side to side slowly, the room seeming to spin around me. I felt sick…nauseated.

The reprieve I got from Voldemort's presence being destroyed didn't last for long. The poison was spreading, reaching into my brain, throwing me off my balance. Even though I wasn't standing, I could feel my sense of direction going all over the place. On the other hand I could feel the other foreign substance, creeping up my neck slowly, leaving a numb feeling in its wake. It was like it was purifying as it went, tearing through the venom with such ferocity that wherever it touched healed instantly before it moved further. I could feel myself weakening again…like the first time I blacked out. I used every bit of strength I had to remain conscious… just to give myself enough time for whatever it was that was healing me to do its work.

The numb feeling was at my jaw now and I could feel I was running out of time. My eyelids were becoming heavier and heavier by the second but I refused to close them. Something had given me a second chance. It didn't matter what or how all that mattered is that the second chance was there. Why give up now? Why hang onto life for mere minutes after I was supposed to die the first time? It didn't make sense. I _had_ to fight. Giving up was not an option.

It was when the healing travelled to my eyes that it happened. My eyelids became numb like the rest of my body so I lost control, though not before seeing my vision suddenly sharpen before they closed. At first they were numb like the rest of my body, and then they began to itch slightly…an irritable feeling against a background of nothingness. I tried to blink but my eyelids refused to open and I could only curse mentally as the horribly uncomfortable feeling was soon the only thing I could consciously feel.

The dizziness was still there obviously, but now my eyes were closed it felt almost periphery, inconsequential. As the numbness reached my skull, I began to feel uneasy, like I consciously knew the worst was to come.

And boy was it.

At first it was slow, small, unimportant memories coming to the forefront of my mind. My first sorting where you could clearly see the candle floating in the great hall. The first time I was told I was a wizard…first year when just after I rescued Hermione from the troll...little things. I could recall each event with perfect clarity, from the small cracks in the walls to the floating dust particles that the sun shone through, making it look like the sun was reaching through the castle's windows.

As each memory flooded my mind I could pick up on small things I didn't notice before, like how Hermione would crinkle her brow when she was really concentrating on something, or how Ron would almost glare at any Slytherin that happened to walk past.

I could hear arguments in the background between students as I walked through corridors, little things that any normal person would have missed, not paying attention to it at the time. I wasn't paying attention to it _then_ so why I was remembering these things now I had no idea. I didn't have time to think anyway as new memories flooded my system. It felt like I had pressed rewind on a DVD recorder, as my life played out back to front, little scenes played out of order and sometimes at the same time. With each old memory I seemed to glean new information from it, things that I could not possibly gain from it yet somehow did. I instantly knew how to do spells now that I had not learned properly at the time, just from seeing the small things that I had done wrong. I could match the professor's instructions with my own wand patterns now and I saw how my actions differed from the example given.

Then I relieved the experience with the stone. Having the events played out in front of me, only proved how stupid my actions that night had been. I was lucky to get out of that situation alive. I saw with a renewed critical eye what I could have done differently, though I knew at the back of my mind that I was 11 and almost everything you do at that age could use the element of hindsight. Perhaps the most surreal experience of the memory came during the chess game, where I could now see the whole board, and tell what moves could and should be made. It was here I could really appreciate how good a tactician Ron was. Every move he made here had purpose. Nothing was needless sacrificed. I could count in one hand how many wrong moves he made and that was only because looking back on it is a lot easier than actually doing it. I had no doubt that if Ron could look back on his performance like I was doing that he would not make the same mistakes.

When it came to the inevitable confrontation, I could feel my insides turn to ice as I saw the man that was Lord Voldemort, or Tom Riddle as I preferred to call him now. I didn't see the point in calling him a lord. It was a false title he didn't deserve. I watched him promise me something he could never give again before forcing me to get the stone…just because I had gotten out alive didn't mean it was any easier for me to see it again. I could now see how pale Quirrel's skin was; he was practically dead on his feet. There was no saving this man. He was beyond hope.

The memory moved forward and I consciously listened to what he was saying this time, trying to glean any information I could…I didn't know why I was doing it to be honest. I didn't know what I was looking for but I felt compelled to listen just in case. The memory came to a close as he touched my skin, and I felt phantom pains crush down on my throat as I struggled to breath; though the feeling left as quickly as it came.

The memory real kept playing, the years of my life laid out before me. The memories gradually began to get darker in nature, my time at the Dursleys brought to the forefront of my mind for the first time in years. I relived experiences I never wanted to live again, beatings that I took, barbs that were spoken, cutting deep as knives. Only now did I understand the hidden meaning. I remembered every little misdemeanour, every little unjust punishment.

I could feel some memories straining to get out, like they knew a locked door had been opened and were waiting to come running forth. I saw myself perform little pieces of magic, not knowing it for what it was back then. I remembered nearly making the house explode after I was nearly killed by my uncle…accidentally of course…I don't even think he realized I would fly that far when he lost his temper and hit me straight into the wall, nearly putting me through it. I could see the look of fear on Petunia's face, mixed with something that could almost pass as…regret? I didn't know. It wasn't an emotion that normally passed her face so I couldn't really tell. I remembered with perfect clarity the events of that day for the first time, as I slowly got up and he came at me again. It happened so fast. One minute he was coming towards me, the next he was sailing across the room. I could feel myself panting in the memory, as tendrils of magic leaked off my skin and things started to float. Petunia's earlier regretful face was now morphed into one of fear.

Things started to fly and before long the windows had blown outward. Wizards were called and I saw black for a moment as I could only guess a stunner was shot at me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the cupboard under the stairs and I realized that I had no memory of the previous days or events…even though I had just seen them. It was a strange feeling. I could only guess that I was obliviated…this made me feel slightly angry. Surely someone must have noticed what was going on here or even asked around. Here was an opportunity to introduce me to magic earlier and make my life safer at the Dursleys but it was just ignored and I was pushed back into the hell I was living. Surely no normal person would send me back there, seeing what had happened. That magical reaction didn't look normal by any means.

I was only halfway through this dark train of thought when more memories came through flashing back through my life. I saw my childhood get played out, memories all out of order and displaced. Memories started to go further and further back…8…6…5…3…I saw earlier and earlier memories and they showed no sign of stopping.

This was when the fear started to grip me. I could feel what was coming…I was almost braced for it. There were now memories coming forth that even if I tried, I would not have been able to recall normally…I was 2 now, and listening to my aunt and uncle talk about me through the grate on the cupboard door one night.

"_Why do we have to care for the freak? We don't want him" Vernon grumbled._

"_Dumbledore said something about protection."_

"_Why protect him? They are a blight on the world those abnormalities…spouting their strangeness" he spat on the floor in disgust before continuing, "We should just leave him in an orphanage and be done with it. He's not our problem."_

"_He's my sister's son" Petunia said coldly._

"_And look how she ended up" he said angrily, and I could see a flash of hurt pass her face momentarily._

"_While I agree that I don't really wish to care for the brat unfortunately we have no choice."_

"_Of course we have a choice-" Vernon spluttered indignantly._

"_No, we don't. Dumbledore said-"_

"_I don't care what that old man had to say, I will not be told what to do by some crackpot magician in my own house!"_

"_He said the person that murdered Lily would come after him! So we have to take him."_

"_Exactly! We are putting our own family at risk! Send him away!"_

"_And have him found by Death Eaters?"_

"_What?"_

"_Death-…it's what these terrorists called themselves, I heard Lily mention it once."_

_Vernon carried on like he never heard her. Judging by the size of the vein throbbing on his forehead, and the anger shown on his face, he probably didn't._

"_And why would you care what happens to him? You said it yourself your sister was a 'good for nothing freak'. Why should you care what happens to him?" _

"_I may not have liked her, it doesn't mean I'm going to let her son be murdered."_

"_We'll be in danger-!"_

"_No we are not. If you were listening, you would have heard Dumbledore explain how while Harry lives in this house with us, no-one can touch us here…something about Lily's blood and powerful magic. Even if you wanted to give him away, you know Dumbledore would just come and bring him back…we've had him for over a year so why are you bringing this up now? It's too late!" she reasoned. My 3 year old self could barely see her from where he was hiding, though that was not surprising. I could feel my younger self sobbing shakily as he listened in on his aunt and uncle shout at each other. At this age he still didn't know his own name so in the many thoughts running through his young mind, he referred to himself as 'freak' or 'boy'. It was sickening._

"_Fucking freaks…how why did I allow myself to be talked into this. I should have-"_

"_Don't start this off again. What's done is done. Now I'm going to bed! You coming?"_

"_Is that a question? Or are you going to force that on me as well" said Vernon venomously. I heard the creaking floorboards as Petunia climbed the stairs for few seconds before I heard the response._

"_Don't be ridiculous Vernon are you coming or not?!" she replied with exasperation._

"_Fine!" he exclaimed._

I barely heard him climb the stairs before more memories came forward, though none as informative as that. Petunia mentioned something about blood and magic…something that sounded remarkably similar to what Dumbledore had told him the year before. Something about his safety at Privet Drive and protection of some sort. It really didn't make sense to him.

More memories came…coming in faster and faster. Most of them were nothing important, just days where he lay in his cupboard. I was still waiting for the inevitable…the memory that I was both fearful of and most desperate to see. I didn't know for sure that it would come but I was pretty certain. All the indications so far pointed to it. No detail was missed no matter how many years I had gone back…there was no deterioration , no slowing…they just kept coming…my two year old memories came, each flashing whole days in miliseconds, nothing of worth happening.

And then it came.

The memory of my baby form dropped off on the doorstep by McGonagall and Dumbledore. I was asleep when it happened, so I was only aware of waking up the shouts of Petunia then stuffed in the cupboard to cry all day for a mother that would never come. I could hear the angry shouting of Petunia as she opened the cupboard door to tell me to shut up, which only made me cry further.

It was then the memory shifted again.

I saw her…and instantly I could feel tears fill my eyes. I remembered her. Her kind face smiled down at me as she hummed a soft lullaby. She held me in her arms, looking upon me with love and contentment. I could hear myself laugh, a tiny baby's giggle as my little hands grasped in puffs of smoke that disappeared in the air…I could feel the body that I was laying on giggling in soft merriment, the sound almost musical to me. My baby's body turned to face the source of the smoke. Sat on the chair next to me was a man with my face, but hazel eyes smiling warmly back, twiddling his wand, making more smokey shapes appear. My little hands tried to grasp them again and I clapped them together, trying to get him to make more.

This was the first memory I had of my mother and father…it was beautiful…

Except it wasn't, was it?

My baby self may not have noticed it but I did. I could see the calendar on the wall through the baby's eyes. I could feel a sense of foreboding even if little innocent me couldn't.

"Stop teasing him James" I heard Lily laugh. My heart nearly stopped at the noise…that voice. I would not forget those words in a million years. Not because they were significant in anyway, merely because they were the first words I would ever remember her say. I knew I would probably have earlier memories but it didn't matter…this is what I first remembered now…even if others came before it.

"He loves it Lily look" my father replied, spitting more pink wisps of smoke out of his wand that little me tried to grab again, giggling wildly.

"He's going to-" he continued but then stopped, his face changing from merriment to fear in an instant. I wanted to leave the memory right then and there but I knew there was no use. I was stuck watching these events play out.

"Lily take Harry and go! It's him! I'll hold him off!" I saw my father say in a panicked voice as I felt my mother pick me up and run up the stairs I saw my face try and look back but my mom held me close to my chest.

"I'll never let him hurt you baby…never. I'll die before he lays a hand on you" she panted, gently stroking my cheek as she ran.

I hear a crash as what I could only guess was the front door, was blown cleanly off its hinges.

Spells were being exchanged, flashes lighting the stairwell as my mother swiftly moved towards the nursery. When she got there she shut the door and bolted it, as if that would somehow help keep him out. She placed me back in my cot and I peered through the bars at her worried face.

"Mommy loves you…daddy loves you. Don't you ever forget that sweetheart you hear me." She whispered, tears running down my face. My baby-self stared back at her, oblivious as to what was causing her distress. It was all I could do not to cry. Here she was in her last moments…and she knew she was going to die.

The spellfire downstairs suddenly stopped and it turned deathly quiet, except for the sound of footsteps...slow and deliberate. I could feel them getting closer, and my mother's ragged breaths. She was sobbing. She knew that James was now dead and was grieving. She cupped my face with her hand and gave it a loving rub before being jolted back to reality as the door was blown open, revealing a figure clad in black robes. Even then he looked barely human, his snake like face looked at my mother with venom and hate.

He levelled his wand at me in the cot with a sinister smile plastered on his face. My mother turned and planted herself between me and Riddle

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" my mother begged desperately, looking for compassion in eyes that gave none.  
"Stand aside you silly girl … stand aside now." He said condescendingly, trying to manuevre himself around her. At this I was slightly shocked...he gave her a choice?  
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead -" she rambled, blocking his view "Not Harry! Please … have mercy … have mercy… " she continued, barely intelligable now.

Voldemort just looked upon her boredly before saying in a clear, low voice.

"Last chance girl. I won't ask you again."

"Please...have mercy" she cried, seemingly oblivious to his command. He just sighed and snapped his wand up.

"Avada Kedavra" he shouted. Sickly green light left his wand and hit my mother square in the chest. She fell to the ground dead, her eyes still open staring into space, tears still running down the side of her face. It was quick as that...one minute she was was there...next minute she was dead.

It was clear that little me knew something was wrong. He looked down at his mother in confusion, wondering why she wasn't getting up. He looked up at the figure above his bed, thinking that maybe it was his daddy. As Voldemort came closer, he saw his face more clearly and knew he wasn't, and started crying. I could see that Voldemort didn't like that; his brow furrowed and he looked down on me in disgust. He seemed to stare at me in contempt for a few seconds before raising his wands for the inevitable action. I braced myself as I knew pain was coming.

"Avada Kedavra" he shouted again and I blinked my eyes as the blinding light slammed into me, but I didn't die. Blinding pain split through my skull like an atom bomb...I could hear screaming, screams that were not my own yet still inside my skull. I could feel blood drip on my baby face, no doubt from the jagged lightening bolt wound that the curse had inflicted on myself. I could see debris flying through the air as the room was blasted apart, Riddle's body blasted apart and destroyed, his spirit thrown through the walls along with the most of the rooms contents; I could see the ghostly apparition fly as it was seperated from its now dead body.

The room was a mess...my mother's protection completely deflected Riddle's magic from me, disspating it outwards, violent and completely uncontrolled. My mother's body on the floor lay completely undisturbed in this chaos. If I didn't know any better I would think that magic itself was protecting her body, preserving it pristinely from the chaos of the outside world.

The last I saw before the memory shifted again was the house completely in flames, almost collapsing in on itself as my mind shifted to something completely different.

I was in the same house, sitting on my mothers lap, being bobbed gently up and down in her arms. I could smell the lavender of her hair shampoo, the soft touch of her hands on my then tiny arms. I would have cried if it wasn't just a memory. The way she looked at my when I glanced up at her in the memory was that of total unconditional love. Before this memory I had never felt that kind of feeling before. I had felt something close when I had stayed at the Weasleys last summer but this was different...this was someone that _loved_ me not just cared about me. I noticed my dad wasn't there but I guessed he was at work, and he would soon be in. This was how the memories worked so far; they focussed on the important parts of my life and only skimmed the bits in between, though I still remembered them. I just didn't focus on them.

The grandfather clock on the far side of the room ticked melodically and my mother hummed to herself, just like before, except without the sad undertone. Maybe it was only me that felt it...after all, I knew they were going to die before. Today they still had...3 days left. I noticed the Calender on the wall again. I could only wait and see what this memory would bring me.

It did not dissapoint.

Ten minutes later, I heard the click of a door unlock, and my father stepped through, followed by a man with long black hair and unkempt facial hair. While my dad was hanging up his coat in the rail, this main turned to look at me and gave me a wild smile, the same smile that my mother and father reserved for me, a loving smile. His silvery grew eyes shone with merriment as he looked at me and I couldn't help but smile.

"Hey little man! And how have you been today? Been a good boy for mummy have you?" he said in the kind of voice you only reserve for talking to babies, a fond smile playing on his lips.

"Why wouldn't he? He's always a good boy." She said with a slight hint of exhasperation. "then again, he did nearly kill the cat earlier with that broom you bought him. I thought I told you to keep 'close supervision' on him?" she said with a hint of irritation, though when I turned to look at her, I could see the laughter in her eyes.

"What are you finding so funny?" James said "usually you would fly off the handle at the slightest chance of Harry being hurt." He asked.

"He _may_ have knocked over that hideous vase that my sister bought me last christmas...and it _may_ have broken on the floor. I could always repair it magically but...well she doesn't have to know that does she?" she said with a hint of a smile dragging on the side of her lips.

My father and this other man didn't have such restraint however, and burst out laughing, and younger me soon joined in, as did my mother.

"...you...ha...seriously? that's brilliant. Looks like we have a marauder in training."

"NO!" Lily almost shouted. "If we do survive this godforsaken war I will not have my son turn into the merry crew you used to be. The school is only just recovering from your antics." She scolded, bringing me back into her chest, as if it would protect me from the words that my dad and his friend were saying.

"Our antic? You were involved in some of those 'antics' in 7th year I recall-" started the long haired man.

"-nevertheless Sirius, I intend to set a good example for my child and that means no teaching him pranking in any form...what if he becomes a bully like you were?"

"I like to think we can raise him better than that don't you think?" my dad said with a smile.

"and besides we learned our lesson in a roundabout way." The man I now knew as Sirius interjected. The name seemed familiar but I could not place it. I filled in the back of my mind for later pondering. I knew I wasn't likely to forget.

"What are you doing here anyway Sirius?" my mother asked. "I thought you were on an Order mission?" she asked inquizitively.

The smile on Sirius's face vanished in a second. I coud tell whatever was about to come out of his mouth wasn't about to be good news. I could tell by the way his shoulders slumped and the glint in his eyes dulled. He started to wring his hands nervously, like what he was trying to force out what he was about to say.

"Ah...yes...I was." He said with a grim smile. "It's not easy for me to say this, so I'll just say it and get it out with. I can't do this anymore." He said sadly, looking like he didn't want to meet anyone's face. He just stared at the floor.

"Do what?" asked dad in confusion.

"This...be your secret keeper" he held his hand up to stop himself from being interrupted. "I know you trust me with your life and for that I'm honestly flattered. The problem is the whole country knows I'm your best friend James and I'm in the Order...I'm one of Voldemorts top targets" he said, and I felt a hint of great modium of respect for this man. He spoke his name without fear nor hesitation. My family didn't even twitch at the use of his moniker.

"I'm too much of a target. If I'm caught it won't matter that I don't want to discolose your location. I'll be pumped so full of Veritaserum that I'll give away the location in a second, and a lot of other dangerous secrets too...and it would destroy me to know that I caused your deaths, even if it truly wasn't my fault...please change the secret keeper. Use Peter...nobody would suspect him." He pleaded. You could see how much this meant to him in his eyes.

"What about Remus?"

"He's too risky...you know we've got a spy in the Order right now don't you? As much as I don't want to suspect him it's rather hard not to. He's always with the werewolves isn't he? How do we know he's not-"

"He would never betray us-"

"We could say that for just about every member in the Order and yet one them of them obviously is."

"Why Peter anyway?"

"Nobody would notice him. With all due respect to him, he's not a very good wizard...average with his spellcasting at best and not the sharpest knife in the draw. Everyone knows I am the secret keeper at this point, I think it would just be a better idea if the secret keeper is someone that death eaters are not actively searching for. Please...I _beg _you, make _him_ the secret keeper."

I could see James face become pensive and my mother's body stiffened against me slightly. I didn't know what a secret keeper was but from what I could gather it was a big deal. For a few seconds, the only sound that could be heard was the ticking of the grandfather clock. I could feel my heartbeat thump rythitically against my chest, as I waited for someone to speak.

"Fine...floo him and tell him to come here. I'm still dissapointed you don't trust Remy though" Lily said, using what I could only guess was a nickname for this man. Yet again, I found the name familiar but couldn't place why, another dissadvantage to having my memories played out in reverse rather than from the beginning.

"What now?" Sirius asked in surprise.

"I can't think of any good reason why we should wait. This is not the kind of thing we should wait on. Suppose you were captured tomorrow?" she answered, her hands absent mindedly stroking my hair.

"I...guess your right Lils." He said in defeat. "Damn this fucking war!" he spat.

"Sirius! Children in the room!" she shouted, covering my ears as if it would actually do any good. I could still hear everything being said. It made me wonder briefly why parents even did this with their children. I guessed it was to make it look like they were doing something when it really wasn't in their control

"Lily I doubt his first words are going to be anything I say." He sighed, though I could see him smile slightly, before it fell a moment later.

"Nevertheless, curb your language."

"Yes Lily of course" he said with a slightly mocking voice though the smile on his face almost ruined it. She sat in silence as Sirius finally sat down on one of the many armchairs dotted around the main room. It was obvious that they were used to guests here, as there were many more chairs than their were people in the family. I wondered why Sirius had not sat down before but I put it down to anxiety.

"I wish you'd trust Remus though...when has he ever done something not to earn it?" Lily said

"I wish I could...I really wish I could. I only hope that when it's proven he's not the traitor that he will forgive us, and that he's not angry we kept this secret from him" James said sadly. I could see the sorry on his face. Another friend of the family I guessed.

"He will...I hope" he said with a sigh. He shook his head and walked towards the fireplace. He dug his hand into what I remembered as floo powder, so fine that a lot of it ran through his fingers. He then took a step closer to the fire and threw the powder in, and I watched as the flames shifted from orange to malachite in second.

"Pettigrew Den" he intoned before stepping into the flames. The fire flared briefly and then settled again, my father completely disappeared.

The room sat in silence for a few minutes and not much was said thereafter either. I could see that everyone was anxious, their bodies fidgiting uncomfortably as they waited for my father to return. More than once my mother asked how long they would be, to which the answer was either 'not long' or none at all, Sirius giving her a grim look as he sat there twiddling his thumbs. Even my baby self fed off the tention in the room, fidgetting and making whining noises every now and again as my mother bobbed me up and down in an effort to calm me.

By the time my father came back ten minutes later, everyone was on edge. He arrived with a short, mousy haired man. He was rather plump, and his eyes seemed to flash around the room in a constant state of nervousness. He looked like the slightest noise would make him run away, like he would fright at the first sign of danger.

He looked like a coward.

"Jamie said you want to change secret keeper...are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, biting his lips nervously. Even his voice seemed to shake.

"We're sure. Sirius would present too much of a target. Everyone knows he is James's best friend...it would only be a matter of trapping him and drawing the information out through Legilimency or torture...people just wouldn't suspect you" my mother said gravely. He eyes dropped down and she planted a kiss into my hair before standing up, handing me over to the arms of my father. He took me carefully and held me while my mother made her way to Peter.

"What's wrong?...I sense somethings troubling you. Are you ok?" She said in a concerned voice. I couldn't see her face at this point, since I was looking over my dad's shoulder at the wall.

"What?...oh yes...just tired. The Order's duties have been keeping me up. I guess I didn't get as much sleep as I should have eh? Ha..." he said, trailing off. Even facing the wall, just hearing the sound of his voice I could tell he was lying. His speech was nervous and stuttered, like he was covering for something else...what's more, the fact I was viewing this memory alone meant something. It was like my mind was giving me the most poignant memories, gifting me with information I would need when I "woke".

"If you're sure..." Lily said, her voice betraying her slightly. She didn't believe him either, but she didn't press. Harry wanted to shout to her, tell her that there was something he was hiding but he knew it would be futile. This was merely a memory of a long gone event, it's outcome predetermined and nothing he could do would change that. The only thing he could do was watch, and learn what he could.

"You know what to do...let's get everyone out the house. I wouldn't dare try it with Harry still inside. It would just scare him" James said as he marched towards the front door, opening it slowly. I saw everyone around me draw their wands and point it ahead of James as he walked out. He could sense the apprehention that everyone held, constantly looking around, assessing the area.

_So this is what it's like to be in a war_ I thought. Everyone constantly on edge, barely any trust in strangers, yet blind trust in your friends.

It was rather cold outside, the night air more than once making me shiver slightly, prompting my father to bring me closer to his chest. I revelled in the feeling of family, knowing that this memory would only go for so long, and the cold hard reality of life would bite once more.

We walked slowly as a group the the front gate before turning around again, facing the cottage. It was at this moment that I realised that it was the first time I had seen my old family home from the outside. The cottage was rather simple to look at, yet beautiful at the same time. It was made of large grey rocks, covered in ivy and moss. The place had an almost aged feel to it, yet it felt homely. I could see the living room from here, the light left on from before we left the house. On the right of the property there was a small garage, where the front door had been left open, showing a large motorbike with a side car. I instantly recognised it as the bike that took me to the Dursleys...why was it here? Did it belong to Sirius? I had only began this trail of thought for a few seconds before it was answered for me.

"Siri how many times have I told you to close the garage door when you bring your bike round?" Lily said with exasperation.

"And how many times have I told you nobody is going to steal it, we are under Fidelus."

"Even so you should be more careful this is-" my mother began before Sirius interrupted with frustration.

"I know...this is a war. I'll close it in a second" he huffed.

"Ok we all here? Good. Lily you know what to do" My dad said, giving my mother a light tap on the shoulder before she brought her wand arm up. I could see everyone properly now, as my baby self's head was turned back to the front again, curious as to what was happening around him.

"Ob omnium oculos aperire sacramentum hoc" my mother said, speaking slowly, pronouncing every word with care. I could feel a slight disturbance in the air, as if magic was being undone. I guessed that was probably exactly what she was doing. She weaved her wand in the air, its tip glowing an eiry blue, light smoke flowing off the end in small wisps. "Qui in tantum serva animam speramus" she went on, her face furrowed in concentration. She turned to the side sightly and pointed the wand at Peter. The wisps started to group together slightly, almost forming a pattern in the air.

"Petrus Pettigrew agetis tamquam vas" she said, stabbing her wand at the end, as all the smokey wisps grouped together and flew into him, glowing as they touched his skin. I noticed all of a sudden that I didn't know where I was, even though seconds ago I knew I was at home. The house in front of me had disappeared, as had most of the surrounding foliage. It was a deeply disturbing feeling. Baby me started to cry and my father rocked my gently as I bawled into his shirt.

"Hurry Lily, Harry's getting restless."

"Tantummodo labia tua, in occulto transeuntes potest, ut non dicas illi et ostendo" I heard her finish before giving a deep sigh. The spell had obviously taken a lot out of her.

"Peter"

"The Potters live at 7 Winston Street, Godrics Hollow." I heard Peters voice and instant clarity came back. I knew exactly when I was again, and the house had reappeared. My baby self stopped crying almost instantly, his disorientation passed. He started to look around curiously, almost as if to make sure everything was back as it was, even though at that age, I doubt I could tell much difference.

My mother looked completely shattered, her eyes droopy and her face drawn. The spell had taken a lot of her energy and it showed. I remember Hermione mentioning the spell once, and how it was one of the most complicated charms that existed. I had no idea it was used to hide my family, and even if I did, I would have presumed that Dumbledore would have been the one to cast it, not my mother, who was barely out of her 20s. I remember Flitwick saying once that my mother was terribly gifted at charms. She certainly was.

"Is it done?" Peter asked nervously.

"Yes it's done. Thanks for doing this."

"It was no trouble. I'll see you guys later. I have to go...catch up on my sleep"

"You do that mate. You look terrible" Sirius said, giving the small man a pat on the back before we trudged back into the house.

Nothing much was said. As soon as we re-entered the house, the first thing my mother did was slump down on the sofa, laying into the corner as her eyes closed shut. Peter walked towards the fireplace, taking a large handfull of powder before throwing it into the flames. He gave a sad smile before stepping through.

A flash of green and he was gone.

That was it.

It was in my face the whole time. The simple truth that the memory was trying to tell me. This was how my family were murdered. Voldemort couldn't have done this on his own. He would not have known where to look...the house was completely hidden. A foolproof layer of protection. No...someone had to have given the location away. That was the only explanation. Looking upon the nervous face of Peter as he unconvicingly lied to my parents' faces more than once, I realised that the real reason for my parents deaths was him, not Voldemort. Sure he would have kept looking, and the war would have killed thousands more people, but individually, their deaths were on him, and I could barely contain the rage inside me at learning this.

I had never hated anyone as much as I hated Peter that moment.

More memories flashed through my mind, detailing my childhood. Now the worst was over with, I could watch each memory with appreciation, revelling in the feeling of home they gave me. I learned more about my family in those moments than I had before in my entire life. I saw my parents' mannerisms, how my father would intentionally wind my mother up, then kiss her before she got too angry and she would immediately calm down. I saw my mom occasionally make the odd potion, though she would be careful to do it far enough away from me so that I wouldn't smell the fumes. She was a prodigy, cutting and slicing ingredients with barely a thought. It looked natural to her, like the knife was an extention of her limb. She hummed musically as she worked, sometimes not even looking at what she was doing, yet she appeared in total control. It was rather impressive to watch, well at least for someone that had spent the last two years hating potions because of the professor.

Watching her work made me want to excel at potions. She did everything with such consumate ease that it made me feel like I was doing her a disservice. I knew I struggled sometimes with potions and it was not just because of Snape; I barely read up on the subject material, thinking what was the point when he would still grade me with a Poor or an Acceptable regardless of the quality I produce. Looking at my mother made me realise that I should be doing this for myself and not him. My mother was a natural it was true, and it was unlikely that I would ever posess the natural skill in brewing that she had, yet I could still do a lot better. I filed this thought away for later and just watched.

I saw first hand my father's skill in transfiguration as he turned random kitchen objects into stuffed animals, and animated them, watching with amusement as my baby self crawled on the floor chasing them, making happy noises as I moved. It was the epitome of family. Everyone was laughing and smiling, and everyone loved each other. It was beautiful.

I'm sure I would have cried if I wasn't inside the memory, and I was sure that as soon as I came back to myself, the tears would come. I was watching the only family I ever had, for I certainly did not class the Dursleys as family, for the first time. It was amazing how something as simple as eating a meal together, or listening to my parents bicker about silly things, or how my 'dogfather' would transform into his animagus form and bound around the house, could make me feel so sad. I had never mourned my parents. Not once. I had never known them and for most of my life so far I had throught they were drunks who died in a car crash.I felt ashamed to think that for a while I had actually believed my aunt and uncle. I feel like I should have made an effort to find out more about them. What I had been given here was a gift...something that by all rights I should never have been given.

Yes there were horrible memories mixed in too, including my parents' murder and my early years at the Dursleys, but they felt small in comparison. Hearing my own family speak to me with some love and caring was the biggest gift I could ever ask for. I now _knew_ my family. They were real people to me now...not just names, war heroes who were known to the world only because of an event they couldn't control.

By the time the memory real finished (ending in a rather surreal scene which I could only guess was my birth), I was almost in a state of shock. The only thing I could hear was the soft sound of water dripping and the the steady flow of my own breathing. As I opened my eyes, I realised something felt off, though I couldn't put a finger on what it was. Everything seemed sharper somehow...more defined. It didn't take me long to realise I was not wearing my glasses and yet I could se perfectly clearly...more than clearly in fact. I could see a crack in the wall the other side of the room my eyesight was that good. I couldn't believe it. I slowly dragged myself off the floor and took in my surroundings...everything felt different now.

I could feel tears gathering in my eyes from the memories I had just witnessed. I knew it was going to happen and I wasn't ashamed. Who would be ashamed of crying over your own family? It was the first time I had cried for them and I let the tears fall...it felt refreshing in a way, like I was finally laying them to rest. I know I had already accepted their death but now it meant something completely different. I could actually feel their loss. I don't know how long I stood their, crying to myself. When I finally got a hold of my emotions,I wiped my eyes with my sleeve. I noticed my clothes felt tighter than they normally did, and when I looked down at myself, I could see where the fabric had split.

But that wasn't the most shocking thing I noticed.

I could see my bare skin through the tears in my cloak. I had lived through years at the Dursleys, beaten and starved for most of them so I knew very well what I looked like beneath my clothes. Scars riddled my skin and my body was malnourished, sometimes my ribcage could be seen almost poking out of my skin. When I looked down now I saw no scars...no marks. My body was defined, muscles showing against my skin. I pulled my cloak completely off, wanting to get a closer look. It was covered in blood and cut to ribbons, so it wasn't a great loss. Now without my robes, I saw how fit my body looked...it was ridiculous. You could spend years in a gym and not get this physique...what the hell had happened to me? Was it the snake bite? It can't have been...people must have been bitten by magical snakes before and most people surely died from a Basilisk bite...but I had been saved. What was keeping me alive, I did not know. All I knew is that I was tettering on the edge of unconciousness, almost dead before a miracle brought me back. Whatever it was that saved me, must have done it I deduced...though why? Maybe it was accidental...

All these thoughts were rushing through my head, all in the space of a second. It was disorientating, having a mind working that fast. I had so many questions I wanted to ask but who would I ask them to? The headmaster? I saw enough from my memories to know that he wasn't completely trustworthy. He was a great man, that was true enough, but sometimes he would withhold truths or create a situation that would act in his "greater good". I couldn't ask him. Neither could I ask any of the other teachers...they were all too firmly in his pocket, which was a shame, since Hagrid probably would have been my best option, due to his obsesssion with magical creatures.

It seemed I had to find the answers to this mystery on my own. Inspecting my body I noticed it wasn't just my torso that had improved physique; my arms and legs were built like an athletes, hard muscle easily visible. I walked towards a large puddle of water, getting a good glimpse of my reflection.

I could barely recognise myself.

I was both taller and more heavily built than before, looking years older than I knew I was. For the most part I looked the same, yet at the same time, it was hard to match what I was before to what I knew I was now. I had gone from someone just over 5ft to someone who was just under 6 in less than an hour. If I didn't know it was myself I was staring at I would have guessed I was looking at a 16 year old...maybe even older. I took a few steps away from the water and looked away, not wanting to stare any longer. I knew I wasn't going to forget...I had just relived my childhood from when I was born; I knew on pure instinct that I was never going to forget anything ever again, yet another thing to set my apart from everyone else.

How was I going to explain this? Was there even a way to explain this? I couldn't exactly lie...the evidence was all over me.I was covered in Basilisk blood...and some of my own. The venom in my blood would come up in scans. I knew that Dumbledore would interrogate me and if I had any questions, he would only tell me what he wanted me to know. It was a little disheartening to have the character of a man I had trusted with my life, be torn apart and questioned in minutes, my childhood memories showing things that made me see that perhaps he wasn't the man I thought he was.

I looked towards the snake's body, it's broken form slumped against the marble floor. Now I could see properly, I could tell you it was even scarier than I remembered it when it was alive, it's teeth large as daggers, now coated in dry venom that almost seemed to crystalise on it's fangs. I could see mangled flesh and cartilage where the Phoenix had torn it's eyes out, gouging them with it's beak and claws. There was a strange kind of beauty in this creature. As dangerous as it was I felt almost sorry that it had to die. In the end it was a slave to its master, not capable of disobeying even if it wanted to. I picked up what looked like one of its scales off the floor. It was hard as a diamond and very sharp, it's dark green color Iridescen and constantly shifting. I put the scale in my pocket and walked back to where I had first dropped the sword.

It lay there, still covered in blood and grime from where I had stabbed it through the roof of the snake's mouth. I would have used what little clothing I was wearing to dry the blood off but I chose not to; there was too much risk accidentally stabbing myself and the last thing I wanted to do was poison myself again. I think I was now immune but I wasn't going to bet on it, so I just picked it up by its hilt and carried in my hand, being careful to keep it pointing away from my body. I noticed it felt lighter...a lot lighter; my enhanced body taking the weight of the blade like it was made of paper.

I then walked over to where the diary still lay down on the floor, covered in black ink. It was horrible. Taking it over to where there was more water, I washed the ink of its pages and held it in my other hand. It still felt dark and tainted, but it was mostly benign now. It would never hurt anyone ever again.

I didn't know how long I had been in this chapter but I knew I had to find a way out now. People would be worried and I could explore later. Not even the headmaster could get in here, so I could come and go as I please. I figured that I couldn't exactly leave the way I came due to the fact that the way I came in was a slide and that was out of the question. I took in my surroundings, trying to find a path or a door. I quickly thought of the piping but quickly disgarded that idea. It was just that...piping. I could get lost or trapped. There was too much risk involved.

So that left a secret door of some kind...but where? I took in my surroundings, catching every detail with a single glance. It was a strange experience being able to remember things so clearly but it was certainly useful, and I could conduct an hours worth of exploration in minutes, from the tiniest crack to the largest statue. I could close my eyes and still navigate the chamber perfectly, simply because I knew exactly where everything was.

Just when I was about to give up and move somewhere else, I noticed something. It was so small that if it wasn't for my improved sight and memory, I would have missed it completely. In the middle of the room was a large circle etched into the tiling. It was almost unnoticable since the lines that made the shape where very thin, so thin in fact that it could be construed as part of the tiling pattern itself if you weren't looking properly. I would have passed it off as just that as well, if it wasn't for the slightly thicker carved S in the middle of the circle.

"_What are you_" I whispered in Parseltongue, the harsh rasps hissing from my mouth. With that the small carving glowed slightly, an eary green emnating light forsing its way through the jagged S, like the light itself was clawing its way out. I could hear gears start to turn when the circular line started to move and the floor slowly raised off the floor. It was very slight; only a few inches but it was there, and the podium I now stood on slowly morphed, complex patters of lines and squiggle etching their way onto the stone, glowing an ethereal green. The patterns shifted and moved across the floor creating what looked like words. No they didn't _look_ like words, they were words. I could understand that just by looking at the strange lines, and read them as if they were english. It took me a few secends to realise this was written Parseltongue...the language of the snakes. I didn't even know a written form existed but I knew instinctevly this is what it was. Why else would I know what it said? It should be just nonsense to me.

Written on the floor was a set of basic instructions. Simple enough, though I did wonder why the instructions were on the floor of all places. For what I could piece together from the text, the circular podium was a transportation device of some sort, one that would take me back into the main castle. From what I could gather, it could only go one of three places though, since it still operated largely like a muggle lift, and could only follow a set path. The choices were not great either, since I could either surface in the Great Hall, the Slytherin Common Room, or the Forbidden Forest. The latter two didn't appeal to me much, since appearing in either would put me in considerable danger for differing reasons. Contrary to popular belief, I didn't actaully go lookin for it.

I examined the text again to make sure there was nothing I'd missed, though I knew I hadn't. I couldn't miss anything and it felt amazing. I could consume a books worth of information now and never have to look at that book ever again. Hermione would be so envious.

Hermione.

Just thinking of my friends hardened my resolve even further to get myself out of this chamber. I would come back and discover the secrets of the chamber later. Right now I had more important matters. Taking one last sweeping glance of the chamber, I stood dead centre on the podium, book in one hand, sword in the other.

It was time to go back. I only needed to say one word, as the instructions said it would read my mind on the destination.

"_Rise"_

**Well there it is! **

**Read and review! :)**


End file.
